Steering propeller for ships



July 27 1926. 1,593,797

, R. L. DENNISQN STEERING PROPE-LLER FOR SHIPS Filed August 4, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 July 27, 1926. 1,593,797

R. DENNISON STEERING 'PROPELLER FOR SHIPS Filed August 4, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 m. pmmb gnwutoz Patented July 27, 1926.

Parent -,orF-1c1:.

ROBERT L. DENNISON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STEERING PROTPELLER FOB SI-IIP S.

Application filed August This invention relates to steering propellersfor ships.

An obj ect of the invention is the provision of a steering propellerconstruction by means of which a ship may be steered from a state ofrest without moving forwardly or backwardly.

A. further object is to provide a steering propeller adapted to bedriven by a pair of motors having drive shafts extending longitudinallyof the ship.

A. further object is t-heprovision of an improved bearing or mountingfor the motor shafts.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown oneembodiment of theinvention. In this showing, I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the stern of a ship,

Figure 2 a horizontal sectional view substantially on line 2 2 of Figure1,

Figure Sis a similar view on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a thrust bearing employed on thepropeller shaft,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the motor shafts, andtheir bearings taken. on line 5 5 of Figure 2 and,

Figure 6 is a vertical'sectional view 011 line 6-6 of Figure Referringto the drawings,

, the reference numeral. 1 designates generally the hull of a shiphaving a deck 2. .The ship may be provided with the usual rudder 3mounted on a verticalaxis and having a bevel gear 4 adapted to beactuated from a control shaft 5 by means of a bevel gear 6.

The ship may also be provided with suitable propellers 7 driven from asuitable source of power by means of shafts 8 extending through thesides of the ship beneath the water level adjacent the stern of theboat. As shown, these shafts may be mounted in bearing members 9.

The steering propeller forming the subj ect matter of the presentinvention is adapted to be arranged at the stern of the boat as shown inFigures 2 and 3 of the drawings and in substantially the same horizontalplane as the propellers 7. As shown, the hull of the boat is providedwith a transverse section 10 at the stern and a plate 11 extendsoutwardly therefrom and carries the usual rudder 3. This plate isprovided with a circular opening 12 and the steering pro- 4, 1925.Serial No. 48,156.

peller forming the subject matter of the present invention isarrangedwithin this opemng. I

In assembling the steering propeller I provide a pair of longitudinallyextending bearing members 13 which are tubular in form and are providedwith webs 1d of appreciable width on their inner sides and similar webs15 which are narrower on their outer sides. These bearing members'areprovided with end flanges 16 shaped to con form to the curvature of theside of the ship and adapted to be secured thereto in any suitablemanner as by riveting.

Longitudinally extending motor shafts 17 are arranged within the tubularmembers 3 which form bearings therefor and these shafts are connected toreversible motors 18 arranged within the ship. A gear box 19 is securedto the outer end of each of the bearing members and these gear boxes areadaptedto receive pinions 20 which are mounted on the shafts 17 andkeyed thereto to re-- volve therewith. As shown, a bronze bushing 21 maybe aranged in the wall of the gear box to receive the shaft 17.

The rear walls of the gear boxes are provided with extensions 22' havingopenings therein adapted to receive a rudder shaft 23 which extendstransversely of the vessel. busl1ing24 may be arranged in each of thebearings formed by the members The steering propeller shaft is adaptedto receive a beveled gear or pinion 25 adjacent each end meshing withthe bevel gear 20 of the adjacent motor shaft 17.

In the space between the gear boxes I provide a hub 26 mounted on thesteering propeller shaft and having a plurality of blades or paddles 27.Adjacent the ends of the steering propeller shaft I provide athrustbearing consisting of a pair of annular members 28, the innerfaces of which are substantially fiat and the outer faces of which areconvex as shown at 29. The outer face of the inner member 28 is adaptedto be received in a concaved portion 30 of the adj acent wall of thegear box. Between these plates I provide a plurality of rollers 31having their axes arranged radially of the main shaft and mounted onpins 32. The thrust bearings are retained in position by means of nuts33 arranged on the threaded ends of the steering propeller shaft andsuitable covers 34 are arranged over the thrust lllii bearings andsecured to the outer walls of the gear boxes.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoingdescription. The steering propeller may be attached to a ship withoutmaterial modification in the construction of the operating parts of theship and without interfering with the operation of the propellers 7. Theship is adapted to be steered by revolving the blades 27 of the steeringpropeller in opposite directions and for this purpose the motors 18 arereversible. By revolving the blades in one direction the ship is causedto steer to the right and by reversing the motors the ship may be causedto turn to the left. An important advantage of the steering propeller isthat the vessel may be steered regardless of whether it is under headwaywhereas in the ordinary rudder construction shown at 3 the vessel mustbe moving in order that the rudder may function.

By providing the two motors and the two motor shafts 17 together withthe thrust bearings arranged at each end of the steering propeller shaftthe drive is balanced and the strains on the parts are reduced to aminimum.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a pair of bearing memberssecured to the exterior of a ship adjacent the stern and extendinglongitudinally, motor shafts mounted in said bearing members, a steeringpropeller shaft extending transversely and arranged exteriorly of theship, a hub mounted on said steering propeller shaft, blades carried bysaid hub, and gearing connecting said steering propeller shaft to saidmotor shafts.

2. In a device of the character described,

a pair of bearing members secured to the ranged exteriorly of the ship,a hub mounted on said steering propeller shaft, blades carried by saidhub, gearing connecting said steering propeller shaft to said motorshafts, and a thrust bearing arranged on each end of said steeringpropeller shaft.

8. A mounting for steering propellers comprising a pair oflongitudinally extending members adapted to be secured to the exteriorof a ship adjacent the stern, said members being provided with flangesat their forward ends conforming to the curvature of the adjacentportion of the ship and adapted to be secured thereto, said membersbeing further provided with tubular portions for the reception of motorshafts, a gear box secured to the rear end of each of said members,bearings carried by said gear box and adapted to receive a transversesteering propeller shaft, and thrust bearings arranged in said gearboxes.

4. In a device of the character described, a pair of longitudinallyextending motor shafts, a bearing member for each-of said shafts, eachof said bearing members comprisin a tubular portion having laterallyextending webs and provided with a flange at one end adapted to besecured to the side of a ship, a gear box secured to the rear end ofeach of said members, bearings in said gear boxes, a transverselyextending steering propeller shaft mounted in said bearings, gearingconnecting said steering propeller shaft to said motor shafts, and asteering propeller mounted on said steering propeller shaft intermediatesaid gear boxes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT L. DENNISON.

